NASCAR emissions

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I was just wondering why that since they were using restrictor plates to limit power AND that racing can be considered prototype R&D, then why not work on having a clean burn in addition to fuel mileage and high power output.





So, in other words, instead of just limiting airflow to reduce power, why not do something constructive by reducing CO and the like so drivers will breathe easier while circling the track?
 
Oz V-8 Supercars run E85...

wonder what the on track and trackside aldehyde emissions are ???
 
They're very sensitive about using computer controls as that could have hidden software that allows traction control.
 
Since NASCAR went to EFI a few years ago, they probably are running pretty close to LMBT conditions already. Since the cars don't have catalytic converters, they don't need to inject extra fuel to reduce EGT.
 
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
I was just wondering why that since they were using restrictor plates to limit power AND that racing can be considered prototype R&D, then why not work on having a clean burn in addition to fuel mileage and high power output.





So, in other words, instead of just limiting airflow to reduce power, why not do something constructive by reducing CO and the like so drivers will breathe easier while circling the track?

Great ideas, IMO.

Just thinking about the ideological tendencies of a lot of NASCAR fans... I suspect a LOT of them who would flip out if they heard of something like this.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I thought NASCARs were running E100.


IndyCar does.




Indy car fuel

Methanol[edit]
At its inception, the IRL used methanol racing fuel, which had been the de facto standard in American open wheel racing since the 1964 Indianapolis 500 Eddie Sachs – Dave MacDonald crash. Methanol had long provided a safer alternative to gasoline. It had a higher flash point, was easily extinguishable with water, but burned invisibly. With the IRL's introduction of night races in 1997, the burning of methanol fuel was visible for the first time, seen with a light blue haze. With this in mind, in an effort to make it more visible in case of fire during daylight hours, additional mixtures were placed in the fuel. As a safety feature, the methanol would burn with a color.

Ethanol[edit]
In 2005, driver Paul Dana brought the sponsorship of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) to his IndyCar team. EPIC is a consortium of ethanol producers that advocate the increased use of ethanol. EPIC was anxious to address public concerns that ethanol use led to engine damage and poor performance when used in street cars. As a marketing effort, it was believed that sponsoring an IndyCar could be used as a tool to promote education and awareness of ethanol use, and to curb the spread of erroneous information. Dana was killed in a crash in 2006, but the IRL already begun a transition to ethanol fuel. For the 2006 season, the fuel was a 90%/10% mixture of ethanol and methanol. Starting in 2007, the league advertised "100% Fuel Grade Ethanol", the first competitive series to utilize renewable fuel. The mixture is actually 98% ethanol and 2% gasoline for races held in the United States. It was provided by Lifeline Goods of Saint Joseph, Missouri. The additives satisfied the U.S. government's requirements that the alcohol be unfit for human consumption, and added visible color in case of a fire. The 2010 São Paulo Indy 300, held in Brazil – outside of the U.S. regulations – utilized a full E100 mixture, the first instance in the sport.

To compensate for the gain of power due to the use of ethanol, the displacement was reverted to 3500 cc. Since ethanol gets worse fuel mileage than methanol, the fuel tanks in the car were increased. Compared to methanol, human contact with the current ICS fuel is much less harsh, and the fumes much less irritating. The fumes are often compared with the sweet smell of apple cider or apple cobbler. Unlike methanol, ethanol is not caustic and does not cause chemical burns when it comes in contact with skin.

On May 2010, Sunoco became the official fuel of the series starting in 2011, running through 2014. Sunoco will work with APEX-Brasil and UNICA to provide ethanol for the series.[16]
 
NASCAR is so far behind the times, nothing they do could be considered remotely close to R&D. The cars haven't been stock in over 30 years, and a lot of the fans are still angry about it.
 
Is Ethanol alcohol produced from agricultural grain products like corn and sugar, and Methanol alcohol produced from wood, and other organic matter, or are there other differences?
 
Originally Posted By: whip
NASCAR is so far behind the times, nothing they do could be considered remotely close to R&D. The cars haven't been stock in over 30 years, and a lot of the fans are still angry about it.
So they "don't do R&D" but the cars are not stock? How do they get to what they have without some R&D?
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: whip
NASCAR is so far behind the times, nothing they do could be considered remotely close to R&D. The cars haven't been stock in over 30 years, and a lot of the fans are still angry about it.
So they "don't do R&D" but the cars are not stock? How do they get to what they have without some R&D?

R&D in the sense of the auto manufacturer using the technology in the street cars. Obviously the teams are spending a lot of time and money on racing R&D, but there's almost no street relevance in NASCAR.
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
So they "don't do R&D" but the cars are not stock? How do they get to what they have without some R&D?


They do R&D per say, but not with the people and money the more elaborate racing teams do in say Formula 1. I read that Ferrari's engine budget alone was $500 MILLION a year just a couple of years back. The yearly cost of development and production of a leading Formula 1 team car would exceed the cost of every car in the entire starting field of the Daytona 500 several times over.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
That's what I thought. I've always heard that NASCAR cars are low tech.
Calling a NASCAR Low tech is a sign of ignorance of the product. Next door to one of my rentals a neighbor builds race car frames " the real deal ones " He had a NASCAR engine and oil system there ,nothing low tech about any of the race cars. Nothing even close to a stock car. Well maybe that it has four tires .
 
Originally Posted By: Joel_MD
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I thought NASCARs were running E100.

I believe they use E15 with a 98 octane rating.


while i'm not sure on the octane rating, they do run e15.
which is being a bit cheeky if you ask me when it comes to how much advertising they do about running on "American Ethanol"
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Calling a NASCAR Low tech is a sign of ignorance of the product


It all depends on what you're comparing it to. For example, a Cirrus SR-22 Aircraft could be considered very high tech compared to a 50's J-3 Cub. But it's got nothing on a new Gulfstream 650.

A NASCAR Cup Car is actually very low tech when compared to some of the more high end street cars available today, like a Dodge Hellcat, or the new models of the Chevy Corvette.
 
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